2026 Best Value Economics Schools in District of Columbia
[Economics](/majors/social-sciences/economics/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong economics education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 9 schools to find the best return on investment for economics students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Economics Schools in District of Columbia
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the economics degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Economics Schools
For return on investment in economics, no school beat George Washington University this year. Set in the city of Washington, George Washington University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $67,710. Students borrow a median of $23,250 to complete the economics program here. Soon after graduation, economics degree recipients from George Washington University generally make around $75,236. Set against $23,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 47%.
Georgetown University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in economics, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Washington, Georgetown University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $68,089. Students borrow a median of $16,500 to complete the economics program here. Early-career economics graduates make about $81,892. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 13%.
American University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value economics schools. American University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Washington. Students from in state pay about $58,771 in tuition and fees. Economics graduates carry a median of $22,625 in student loans. Economics graduates of American University earn a median of $72,527 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,625 median debt. American University admits about 62% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Howard University earned it the #4 place for economics. Howard University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Washington. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $35,810. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the economics program here. Early-career economics graduates make about $58,495. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 41%.
Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 9 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
